Lin-Manuel Miranda on "Gratifying" Experience of Filming 'In the Heights' Movie in Washington Heights

Lin-Manuel Miranda

from Hollywood Reporter:

“The highly anticipated film adaptation of the Tony-winning musical is set for a summer 2020 release, with Anthony Ramos taking on the role Miranda originated on Broadway.

Lin-Manuel Miranda closed out the fifth annual Fast Company Innovation Festival on Friday, discussing the upcoming film adaption of his musical In the Heights, along with his passion for supporting small businesses — which recently drove him and several friends to purchase New York City's Drama Book Shop — with American Express' chief marketing officer, Elizabeth Rutledge.

Miranda created and composed In the Heights, a story about the Hispanic-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City, at age 22. However, he won't be reprising the role he originated on Broadway in Jon M. Chu's movie adaptation and will instead appear in a small part and serve as a producer.

"The thing that In the Heights is really about is what happens when the people who make a neighborhood special can't afford to live there anymore. And when those businesses can't afford to stay," Manuel said. "Gentrification is tough to dramatize because it's many forces at work at once. So we really kind of responded with the complexities that I think it deserves."

In addition to illustrating the rapidly changing neighborhood, Manuel explained that In the Heights addresses gentrification by showing how certain characters respond to their circumstances.

"There's one set of characters that sell their business, they move to the Bronx. There's another set of characters where the father sells his business so his daughter can go farther and finish her education," he said. "Then the main character, Usnavi, in the final It's a Wonderful Life minutes, decides to stay."

Chu's film adaption will feature actual residents of Washington Heights, where the majority of the movie was shot. According to Miranda, production took over different street corners for a month, telling locals, "Listen, this is going to mess up parking for a few weeks but you're going to live forever and this neighborhood is going to live forever if we get to make this movie here."

Shooting the film, Miranda said, "was one of the most gratifying artistic experiences" of his life. 

IN THE HEIGHTS stars Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, and Jimmy Smits.The film is directed by Jon M Chu, produced by Miranda, Quiara Hudes, Anthony bregman, Scott Sancers, Mara Jacobs and executive producer David Nicksay. Warner Brothers releases the movie June 26, 2020.

Read the article at the Hollywood Reporter.